Biology 108: Lecture A01 Fall 2017 (Luong)

SYLLABUS - BIOLOGY 108

INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

Lecture Section A01, FALL Term 2017

Mon-Wed-Fri 12:00-12:50 pm, CCIS L2-200

Course Objectives: BIOL 108 is designed to provide first year students with an overview of the major
lineages of life on Earth, with an emphasis on evolutionary principles and classification, the history of
life, and the key adaptations of prokaryotes, protists, fungi, plants, and animals. Prerequisite: Biology
30. BIOL107 (Introduction to Cell Biology) complements BIOL108 with its coverage of cellular and
physiological biology. Policy about course outlines can be found in Section 23.4(2) of the University
Calendar.

Instructor: Dr. Lien Luong

Office: B-326, Biological Sciences Building
Office hours: Tuesdays 11 12 am, Wednesday 3 4 pm
- if you need an appointment outside of office hours, please email me
E-mail: lluong@ualberta.ca

Lab Coordinator: Christianne McDonald

Office: CW405, Biological Sciences Building
Phone: (780) 492-5665
E-mail: christianne.nylund@ualberta.ca

eClass Moodle site: https://eclass.srv.ualberta.ca

Lab and lecture will each have its own course page in eClass.

REQUIRED Textbook: Campbell BIOLOGY by Reece et al.(2017). This is the 4th custom edition
specifically for the University of Alberta, available at the Students Union Bookstore ($167.88). Used
copies (including older versions) of this textbook are acceptable, but it will be your responsibility to
ensure that the page numbers correspond to the assigned readings. You will also need to purchase a
Biology 108 Laboratory Manual from the Bookstore.

In-class interactive software: We will be using iClickers in class regularly. It is your responsibility to
have a functioning iClicker for every class. There are no make-ups for missed quizzes or activities.
These should cover all possible forgotten/broken iClicker issues, battery problems and missed classes
(no exceptions).

In-class quizzes consist of 5 questions, which are marked. Points accumulate over the session; overall
iClicker grade will be a simple average of all the sessions. The 2 lowest quizzes of your clicker grades
will be dropped. We will also use the iClickers to record participation in group activities.

You may use any iClicker remote, though we are recommending iClicker2. These devices can be
purchased from the U of A bookstore. Alternatively, you can use your mobile device, in conjunction
with a subscription to iClicker Reef. You can purchase a discounted access code from the bookstore.

Your clicker must be registered in order for you to receive marks for using it. See eClass for detailed
instructions.

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Biology 108: Lecture A01 Fall 2017 (Luong)

Posted Lecture Notes

I will post incomplete lecture notes on the Biol 108 Lecture A01 Moodle (eClass) website in PDF file
format. These PDF files are meant to help supplement the lecture, fill in any gaps in your note taking;
they do not take the place of attending class and taking notes yourself. The posted notes may not
contain all figures that are presented in lecture, due to increased stringency of copyright regulations.

Role of the Textbook

My exams are based on what I present in lecture, which in turn is based mostly but not exclusively on
what is in Campbell BIOLOGY. I will not ask exam questions on textbook details that are not covered
in lecture. Thus, the suggested readings will serve as valuable supplements to help you preview, review
and better understand lecture (and laboratory) material. There are also useful self-quizzes associated
with the text.

Sample Questions
Sample exam questions will be presented as part of the lectures and iClicker quizzes. These are meant
to give you a feel for the style of questions and are unlikely to be identical to the questions actually on
the exam for this lecture section. There are excellent study questions at the end of each chapter in the
Campbell textbook. More details about study aids will be provided in lecture.

Laboratory
Labs start the week of September 18. All Biology 108 labs are located on the 1st floor Centre Wing of
Biological Sciences Bldg. in rooms CW 105, 109, 113, 121, & 125. You must purchase and bring to the
first lab the most recent version of the lab manual (available from the Student's Union Bookstore).
Consult the lab manual for required lab supplies.

Missed Quizzes, Group Activities, or Midterm Exam

There are no deferred or make-up quizzes, group activities, or midterm exam in this Lecture section. If
you miss a midterm test because of illness, domestic affliction, or other compelling reason, you must
notify me (LL) within two working days of the test and ask to have the percentage weight of the
midterm (20%) added to the percentage weight of the final exam. If you do not report your absence
from the test to me within two working days of the test, you will be assigned a zero for the test and its
weight will not be transferred to the final exam. Also see the University Calendar for additional
information: http://calendar.ualberta.ca/content.php?catoid=6&navoid=806 - Attendance
Note: A request for accommodation for religious conflicts (i.e., timing of the midterm exam falls on a religious
holiday) must be received by the instructor within two weeks of the start of classes, i.e., by 23 Aug 2017. I may
request documentation to substantiate such a request.
Missed Final Exam
You are responsible for confirming the date, time and location of the final examination. A student who
misses a final examination because of illness or domestic affliction or who is obliged to be absent from
a final examination for some other compelling reason, including religious convictions, may apply for a
deferred final examination. To do this, students must go to their own Faculty Undergraduate Office to
apply to the Dean of your Faculty to write a deferred final exam. Documentation pertaining to such an
absence must be submitted within two working days of the exam. You will be required to pay a fee if
your application for a deferred exam is granted. See section 23.5.6 of the University Calendar for
details: http://calendar.ualberta.ca/content.php?catoid=6&navoid=806 - deferred-final-exams. Time

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management issues, including a busy exam schedule, will not be considered valid reasons for missing
the final exam.

The deferred exam for BIOL 108 will be held on Thursday 4 January 2018, 2-4 pm (room TBA). Check
with me (LL) 48 hours prior to the deferred exam to confirm date, time and location. Note: no re-
examinations will be given (i.e., if you did write the final exam but desire to re-write), as the final
exam constitutes less than 40% of your total mark for the course. This also applies to those students
who miss the midterm exam and have the weight of the mark transferred to the final exam. See Section
23.5.5 of the University Calendar for additional information.

Mark Distribution
iClicker & online quizzes Throughout course 5%
In-class & online activities Throughout course 5%
Midterm exam October 20 (approx. 45 min in length) in class 20 %
Final exam** December 20, 2-4 pm 30 %
Laboratory Labs begin week of September 18 40 %

** Deferred Final Exam: Thursday 4 January 2018, from 2-4 pm, location TBA

Assignment of Grades: The University of Alberta uses a letter grading system with a four-point scale
of numerical equivalents for calculating grade point averages. The final grades in this course will be
determined from the total raw score (from both lecture and lab) of all the students in this lecture section.
The scores will be subdivided into the letter grading system using a combination of natural breaks in the
distribution and grade cutoffs that reflect general performance where A grades are considered
excellent, B grades good, C grades satisfactory, D a marginal pass and F a failure. This will be
done after the final total raw scores are calculated. Letter grades will NOT be calculated for individual
course requirements (e.g., midterm).

GRADE APPROXIMATE CUT-OFF (+/- 5%)

A+ 95
A 90
A- 85
B+ 80
B 75
B- 70
C+ 65
C 60
C- 55
D+ 50
D 45
F 45

Note: the exact cut-off for the course grade will be calculated to the nearest 0.01%. Percentages within
0.40% or less of the upper limit of the cut-off will be rounded up. For example, if your final course % is

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84.60% and the A- cutoff is 85%, you will be bumped up to A-. However, you must be precisely 0.40%
or less, e.g., you will not be bumped up if your score is 84.59%.

Student Services
There are many resources on campus available to students who need advice, help, support, counseling,
or information. See a list of some of these resources at In addition, there is a student-run Peer Support
Centre for counseling and crisis management in Room 2-707, Students Union Building (phone: (780)
492-4268) (http://www.su.ualberta.ca/services/psc/).

Specialized Support and Disability Services (SSDS)

Students who require accommodations in this course due to a disability affecting mobility, vision,
hearing, learning, or any other aspect of physical or mental health are advised to discuss their needs
with Specialized Support and Disability Services, 2-800 Students Union Building (phone: 492-3381;
email: ssds.office@uss.ualberta.ca; website: www.ualberta.ca/SSDS/). Students registered with SSDS
are required to complete an Exam Instructions and Authorization Form for the quiz and midterm and to
ensure that the forms are delivered to the instructor at least 2 working days before the quiz and
midterm. In addition, students registered with SSDS are encouraged to introduce themselves to the
instructor at the beginning of the term in order to ensure that their needs can be met to the best of the
instructors ability. Students should register their exams in the online system and instructors will be sent
emails.

Code of Student Behaviour

The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty.
Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the
policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with
the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (see Codes of Conduct link at
http://www.governance.ualberta.ca/) and avoid any behaviour that could potentially result in suspicions
of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic
dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.

All forms of dishonesty are unacceptable at the University. Any offense will be reported to the Senior
Associate Dean of Science who will determine the disciplinary action to be taken. Cheating, plagiarism
and misrepresentation of facts are serious offenses. Anyone who engages in these practices will receive
at minimum a grade of zero for the exam or paper in question and no opportunity will be given to
replace the grade or redistribute the weights. As well, in the Faculty of Science the sanction for
cheating on any examination will include a disciplinary failing grade (no exceptions) and senior
students should expect a period of suspension or expulsion from the University of Alberta.

Further information on issues related to cheating, plagiarism, and cyber-plagiarism can be found at
http://guides.library.ualberta.ca/plagiarism. Some of the major forms of inappropriate student
behaviour are defined in the Code of Student Behaviour as follows.

30.3.2 Inappropriate Academic Behaviour

30.3.2(1) Plagiarism: No Student shall submit the words, ideas, images or data of another person as the
Students own in any academic writing, essay, thesis, project, assignment, presentation or poster in a
course or program of study.

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30.3.2(2) Cheating: 30.3.2(2) a No Student shall in the course of an examination or other similar
activity, obtain or attempt to obtain information from another Student or other unauthorized source,
give or attempt to give information to another Student, or use, attempt to use or possess for the purposes
of use any unauthorized material.
30.3.2(2) b No Student shall represent or attempt to represent him or herself as another or have or
attempt to have himself or herself represented by another in the taking of an examination, preparation of
a paper or other similar activity. See also misrepresentation in 30.3.6(4).
30.3.2(2) c No Student shall represent anothers substantial editorial or compositional assistance on an
assignment as the Students own work.
30.3.2(2) d No Student shall submit in any course or program of study, without the written approval of
the course Instructor, all or a substantial portion of any academic writing, essay, thesis, research report,
project, assignment, presentation or poster for which credit has previously been obtained by the Student
or which has been or is being submitted by the Student in another course or program of study in the
University or elsewhere.
30.3.2(2) e No Student shall submit in any course or program of study any academic writing, essay,
thesis, report, project, assignment, presentation or poster containing a statement of fact known by the
Student to be false or a reference to a source the Student knows to contain fabricated claims (unless
acknowledged by the Student), or a fabricated reference to a source.
30.3.2(3) Misuse of Confidential Materials: No Student shall procure, distribute, or receive any
confidential academic material such as pending examinations, laboratory results or the contents thereof
from any source without prior and express consent of the Instructor.
30.3.6(4) Misrepresentation of Facts: No Student shall misrepresent pertinent facts to any member of
the University community for the purpose of obtaining academic or other advantage. See also 30.3.2(2)
b, c, d and e.
30.3.6(5) Participation in an Offence: No Student shall counsel or encourage or knowingly aid or
assist, directly or indirectly, another person in the commission of any offence under this Code.

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General Lecture Outline (check for updates on eClass)

Lecture Date Lecture Topics Readings
1 Sep 6 Biodiversity; Scientific method Ch1: 19-25
2 Sep 8 Linnaean system & hierarchical classification Ch26: 574-589
3 Sep 11 Taxonomy & systematics Ch26: 574-589
4 Sep 13 Evolution and Charles Darwin Ch1: 12-19; Ch22: 484-490
5 Sep 15 Descent with modification & natural selection Ch22: 490-500
6 Sep 18 Evolution of a population Ch23: 502-519
7 Sep 20 Populations continued; Origin of species - part I Ch24: 522-539
8 Sep 22 Origin of species - part II Ch24: 522-539
9 Sep 25 Origin of life on Earth Ch25: 542-551, 554-559
10 Sep 27 Prokaryote diversity: Bacteria & Archaea Ch26: 589-592; Ch27: 595-613
11 Sep 29 Origin of eukaryotes; Diversity of protists Ch25: 551-554; Ch28: 616-640
12 Oct 2 Plants colonize land; non-vascular plants Ch29: 644-661
13 Oct 4 Seedless vascular plants Ch29: 644-661
14 Oct 6 Seed Plants: gymnosperms Ch30: 664-671
- Oct 9 Thanksgiving no class -- --
15 Oct 11 Seed plants: angiosperms Ch30: 671-681
16 Oct 13 Pollination; Intro to fungi Ch38: 859-870; Ch31: 684-696
17 Oct 16 Fungi Ch31: 696-700
18 Oct 18 Fungi and humans; Ch 31: 696-700
What are animals? Ch21: 476-478; Ch32: 703-714
- Oct 20 MIDTERM (on material up to and including fungi) -- --
19 Oct 23 Characteristics of animals Ch32: 703-714
20 Oct 25 Origin of animals; Intro to invertebrates Ch25: 553-554; Ch32: 703-714
21 Oct 27 Cnidaria & Platyhelminthes Ch33: 716-724
22 Oct 30 Lophotrochozoa: Annelids & Mollusca Ch33: 724-727; 732-734
23 Nov 1 Ecdysozoa: nematodes Ch33: 728-732
24 Nov 3 Ecdysozoa: arthropods I Ch33: 734-743
25 Nov 6 Ecdysozoa: arthropods II Ch33: 734-743
26 Nov 8 Arthropods continued; Intro to Deuterostomes Ch33: 743-742; Ch 34: 743-745
27 Nov 10 Intro to Chordates (Blended Learning Module) Ch34: 745-757
Nov 13-17 Reading Week no classes ---
28 Nov 20 Non-bony Craniates: hagfish, lampreys, sharks, rays Ch34: 754-758
29 Nov 22 Bony fish: ray-finned fish & lobe-fins Ch34: 758-761
30 Nov 24 Evolution of early tetrapods Ch34: 761-763
31 Nov 27 Extant amphibians; Amniotes Ch34: 762-766
32 Nov 29 Amniotes: reptiles Ch34: 767-769
33 Dec 1 Amniotes: birds & synapsids Ch34: 769-773
34 Dec 4 Amniotes: mammals Ch34: 773-777
35 Dec 6 Primates, incld. human evolution Ch34: 778-785
36 Dec 8 Wrap-up --
- Dec 20 FINAL EXAM, 2-4pm: covers all material, with concentration on lectures since midterm